A long time ago, a friend once made the observation that frequent travel allows one to see some unusual things and meet people who either are unusual, famous or both. He said that people sometimes didn’t believe the things he had seen in his travels. Roger and I have been lucky to capture memories of our unusual encounters in our travels through the heartland via the magic of video.
In addition to the heartland, we have recently interviewed folks from inside and outside the beltway. In this interview, filmed at the 2012 Broadband Communities Summit, we caught up with Lawrence Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information NTIA United States Department of Commerce, Lawrence Strickling. Strickling faced Congressional critics Congress today as he discussed the progress and effectiveness of the NTIA’s stimulus efforts. In this brief interview, he discusses the next phase, which is about driving adoption on the completed networks, as well as finding way to expand the reach of the broadband.
Stay tuned for a related ViodiTV story about two stimulus winners who found each other and the small rural community, which will benefit from these two complementary winners.
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Larry Drake, Executive Director of the Tennessee Telecommunications Association, discusses the Spring Meeting held in Franklin, TN this week. He also talks about some of the regulatory challenges and uncertainties his 18 members face. Drake has an interesting background with a comprehensive knowledge of the telephone industry, having worked for organizations such as Bellcore and US Telecom. He also briefly provides his thoughts on the challenges of ensuring all parties adhere to standards. Click here to view.
Broadcasting is another industry that is in transition and adjusting to a world where broadband and mobility are king. A new way for broadcasters to go over the top is described in this video that features an interview with Jack Perry, founder of Syncbak, as well as a demonstration of the nascent Syncbak service. Available as a free app for mobile phones (iOS and Android), it has been rolled out in several markets, such as Spokane and the San Francisco Bay Area. Click here to view the video.
Transcoding of video streams to serve multiple devices via multiple networks is becoming a core element of a video solution, regardless of the type of delivery method. As explained in this video interview with Elemental Technologies’ CEO Sam Blackman, the use of Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) is the secret sauce behind their encoding and transcoding products.
The growth of Elemental Technologies has mirrored that of Apple’s iPad, as they introduced their first product a month after the launch of the iPad. Click here to view the video interview with Blackman where he talks about the challenges and opportunities of video delivery to multiple screens.
OTN Switching Gains Market Traction- but will it replace SONET/ SDH? by Alan Weissberger
The results of Infonetics Research OTN Deployment Strategies survey show that OTN switching will play a leading and significant role in the regional and long haul networks of most, but not all carriers. “Most notable is the fact that about three-quarters of the service providers interviewed plan to deploy OTN switching (see comment below). This sample represents 90% of all respondent capex, which means most optical dollars will be spent by carriers with OTN switching,” according to Andrew Shmitt, Infonetics Principal Analyst for Optical Networks. Click here to read more.
- Comcast addresses my concern that Xbox app chews into monthly broadband allocation.
- Sign of the times- Lady at hotel check-in answers “Charter” when asked what telephone company is the provider for her employer.
- Interesting that white spaces is the second thing mentioned by Commissioner McDowell in this congratulatory note.
The Korner – Day One With the Mayor
Since election season is here, it seems appropriate that we met with the freshly elected mayor of a rural burg that is at a bit of a crossroads. It was a chance meeting with the mayor’s uncle that led us to the post inauguration party and our introduction to the new mayor. He graciously accommodated us and we were his first official appointment on his calendar on his first day in office.
As it turns out, Zach Vrumink is the youngest mayor in Wisconsin Rapids, WI history. From a line of entrepreneurs, he kept up the family tradition by starting a computer and networking technology business when he was 14. With branches in several Wisconsin cities, he is now an absentee owner and is now focusing his energy on transforming the local city government to help his area compete.
His combination of enthusiasm, common sense and experience made us think that the mayor’s office is only the start for this young man who wants to make his community and country a better place. Click here to view the interview with him and to read Roger’s thoughts on our impromptu meeting with the new mayor.
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